Sorting machine



June 19, 1962 J. w. DRAYTON SORTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1960 l I INVENTOR.

' JOHN W. DRAYTON BY 6W FIG.

ATTORNEYS June 19, 1962 Filed June 29, 1960 J. w. DRAYTON 3,039,605

SORTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

ATTORNEYS June 19, 1962 J. w. DRAYTON SORTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1960 FIG.4.

6 B 2 R 3 l m 4 E 3 V M N 2 I. o 6 6 4 2 MN 6 8 6 8 47 5 4 f,| .8 G 44 F 5 O M M 4 6 m 7 8 G M" F m FIG. 5.

JOHN W. DRAYTON BY v mwi' FIG. 7. MAMA ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 3,039,605 Patented June 19, 1962 3,039,605 SORTING MAEHINE John W. Drayton, Berwyn, Pa., assignor to Richard A. Tilghman, Bryn Mawr, Pa. Filed June29, 1960, Ser. No. 39,624 10 Claims. (Cl. 209-1115) This invention relates to improvements in sorting machines, and particularly to improvements in machines for sorting beans and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide such a sorting machine having an improved revolvable suction-drum type conveyor.

Another object is to provide a simplified Way of loading such a conveyor by spilling beans directly upon the top of the suction-drum, and to provide means for recirculating beans that fall from the suction-drum without being sorted.

Another object is to provide pneumatic conveyor means for recirculating beans that fall from the suction-drum without being sorted.

Another object is to provide such a sorting machine with deflector means for assuring seating of one bean only over each suction orifice.

Another object is to provide such a sorting machine with deflector means for partially unseating each bean to reduce the influence of the suction thereon preliminarily to dislodgment of the bean from the conveyor.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying dnawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a sorting machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the plane indicated by line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, certain parts being broken away for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the photoelectric color sensing apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section taken on the plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken on the plane indicated by line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view looking into a suction orifice;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged view as indicated by line 77 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section on the plane indicated by line 8-8 of FIGURE 1.

The sorting machine constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a housing, generally designated 10, rectangular in both horizontal and vertical section and comprising a horizontally extending bottom wall 12,

upright opposite side Walls 14 and 16 and upright front and rear walls 18 and 20. At the top of the housing adjacent the side wall 16 is an open top hopper, generally designated 22. The hopper is provided with upright front and rear walls 24 and 26 and with a sloping bottom wall 28. Extending from the bottom of the hopper 22 is a chute 30 provided with a vertically extending section 32 and sloping sections 34 and 36. Re-

ferring particularly to FIGURE 1, one wall of the chute section 36 is turned laterally outwardly therefrom, as at 37.

Depending from the bottom 28 of the hopper are a pair of laterally spaced upright walls 38 provided with flanges 39, and extending across the lower end portions of these flanges is a plate 40. Thus there is formed under the bottom wall 28 of the chute a compartment 42 having an opening between the flanges 39, designated 44.

Extending horizontally across the opposite side walls 14 and 16 of the housing 10 respectively are a pair of 2 angle bars 46, and spanning these angle bars are a pair of laterally spaced flat bars 48. Seated upon the latter is a plate 50 upon which are mounted a pair of bearings 52. Journalled in these hearings is a shaft 54 secured against axial shifting movement by suitable collars 56.

One end portion of the shaft 54 mounts a hollow drum generally designated 58. This drum comprises two sec tions 60 and 62, each of which has a hub 64, a web 66 and a rim 68. The interior of the drum is hollow, as at 70, and each rim is provided with radially extending grooves. The grooves of the two rims 68 register to provide radially extending circumferentially equally spaced suction openings 74. A gasket 76 is interposed between the two rims 68. The portions of the gasket 76 passing through the radially extending suction open ings- 74, conjointly with lateral extensions of the gasket, designated '78, form spiders disposed in the suction openings. The outer periphery of the gasket 76 is disposed just below the outer surface of the drum while the outer terminal portions of the lateral extensions 78 are rounded, as at 79, thereby to provide a cup-shaped depression at the outer end of each suction orifice 74.

Referring particularly to FIGURE it should be noted that the mouth of the chute section 36 overhangs the rim of the drum 58 but terminates short of the suction openings 74, i.e., to the right of a median plane through the drum 58. Now referring particularly to FIGURE 1, it should be noted that the mouth of the chute section 36 is disposed for discharging upon approximately the central area of the rim portion of the upper left-hand quadrant of the drum 58.

Extending horizontally across the front of the machine is a bar 80 to which is attached a conduit 82 provided with an opening 84 which registers with the opening in the hub 64 of the drum section 62 From the lower end portion of the conduit 82 there extends a rubber sleeve 86, the opposite end portion of which is connected to a conduit 88 which leads to the interior of an air chamber 90.

Extending upwardly from the air chamber 90 and then sweeping downwardly is a conduit 92 which is connected to one end of a venturi section 94. The outlet end of this venturi section is connected to a conduit section 96 which sweeps upwardly for discharging into the compartment 42 through the terminal portion thereof, designated 98.

For receiving the discharge from the conduit 96, the compartment 42 is provided with an inclined receptacle, generally designated 100. This receptacle is provided with a screened top wall 102 and rubber sheet opposite sides, bottom and end walls, designated 104. The end of the receptacle adjacent the end portion 98 of the C011? duit 96 is open. I

Extending about the drum 58 is a casing, generally designated 108, provided with two sections and 112. The'casing section 110 is provided with an upright wall 114 on one side of the drum. This wall is provided with an inner arcuate flange 116 adjacent the drum 58 and with an outer arcuate flange 118. It will be observed that the passage formed between the periphery of the drum 58 and the flange 118 is quite large proximate the outlet from the chute section 36, and that the passage becomes smaller gradually as it extends downwardly away from the chute outlet. The section 110 is secured to an upright plate 120 by means of screws 126 and an car 128, and the plate 120 is secured to the chute section 36 by screws 124 and an ear 122 extending from the chute section 36. Extending downwardly from the casing section 110-is a inclined discharge spout 130. The casingside of the drum. This wall is provided with an inner arcuate flange 134 adjacent the drum and with an outer arcuate flange 136 from the upper end of which there depends a crosspiece 138. The front of the casing 108 is closed by a canvas cover 140. Suitable means is provided for supporting the casing 108 as by brackets (not shown) connecting the same with the fiat bar member 48 adjacent the casing.

Suitably carried by the housing is a bracket 142 from which depends a bar 144. The lower end portion of this bar carries a laterally extending bracket 146 from which a deflector plate 148 extends down to the top of the drum. Suitably carried by the casing 108 are a pair of deflectors 150 and 151 circumferentially spaced about the drum 58 and extending to the rim thereof, as shown. Mounted upon the undersurface of the bracket 146 are a pair of electromagnets 152 provided with an arm 154 which depends therefrom and carries a kick plate 156 adjacent the top of the drum. Aflixed to the deflector plate 148 is a bracket 161 which carries a plate 158 provided with a cut-out or window 159 adjacent the top of the drum. The deflector plate 148, the kick plate 156 and the window plate 158 are circumferentially spaced relative to one another and disposed on the same side of a median plane through the drum. A color plate 157, mounted by means not shown, is disposed opposite the window plate 158, on the opposite side of said median plane. The deflector plates 148, 150 and 151 are each disposed at an angle, as shown, relative to said median plane. It will be noted that the deflector plates 1'50 and 151 are turned in opposite directions i.e., the deflector plate 151 is turned in the same direction as the deflector plate 148.

A light source 160 is mounted for directing a light beam through the window 159 to the color plate 157, which reflects the light beam back through the window 159 and directs it into a photoelectric unit 162 connected in electric circuit with a fast operating amplifier relay 164, and with the electromagnets 152.

The source of light 160 may include a lens system for suitably directing the light beam through the window 159 and upon the color plate 157 or upon the beans as they pass by. The photoelectric unit 162 may include a photoelectric tube and optical means for focusing light reflected back through the window 159 from the color plate 157 or from the beans, whereby such light is directed upon the photoelectric tube. In addition, it may and preferably does include one or more color discriminating filters serving to accentuate the response obtained from beans of different color characteristics.

On one side of the drum 58 there is provided a hopper 166 suspended from the casing 10 by means of a plate 167. At the top of the hopper are two sweep arms 168 and 170, and depending from the hopper are discharge tubes 172 and 174.

Afiixed to one end of the shaft 54 is a large pulley 180. Trained over this pulley is a belt 182 also trained over a motor pulley 184. The motor pulley is driven by a motor 186.

In the operation of the machine, a blower (not shown) within the air chamber 90 is started, whereupon air is sucked into the chamber 90 via the suction openings 74 and the interior 70 of the drum 58, hub 64 of drum section 62, conduit section 82, sleeve 86 and conduit section 88. Air is discharged from the air chamber 90 via conduit section 92, venturi section 94 and conduit section 96. Air discharged from the conduit section 96 is directed into the receptacle 100, from whence it passes through the screen 102 into the compartment 42, being finally discharged through the opening 44. As air passes the venturi opening, designated 187, suction is induced in spout 130.

Now the motor 186 is started. The motor pulley 184 drives belt 182 and the latter in turn drives pulley 180. Thus the shaft 54 is actuated and turns in bearings 52 to actuate the drum 5.8.

Beans to be sorted, designated 198, are fed into the hopper 22, from whence they pass down the chute 30 to the mouth or outlet opening from the chute section 36, the lower edge of which is disposed close to the rim of the drum 58. Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, the bottom of the chute section 36 slopes from the lower edge of the outlet opening aforesaid upwardly and to the right at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The flow from the chute section 36 is suitably controlled by a vertically adjustable slide gate 188.

Beans passed by this gate spill out of the outlet opening from the chute 36 onto the periphery of the drum 58. As they fall freely through the progressively restricted passage between the periphery of the drum 58 and the flange 118, they approach the surface speed of the drum 58, while being held quite close to the drum surface. The percentage of beans held by the drum is quite large because of the progressively reduced transverse section of the passage aforesaid. When such a passage is not provided at all, the percentage of loading is quite low. On the other hand, the passage cannot be made too small because then the beans are crowded too close to the drum surface and then again the percentage of loading is quite low. The beans held by the drum 58, designated 200, are deposited in the depressions at the outer ends of the radially extending suction openings 74 and are held there by the suction. Other beans, designated 202, fall by gravity from the drum 58 to the bottom of the casing 108 and are sucked through the spout and venturi opening 187, in consequence of which they are recirculated via conduit section 96 and receptacle 180. The beans discharged from the receptacle 100 drop by gravity through an opening 194 into the section 36 of the chute 30.

Plate 157 forms a background that matches the color reflecting characteristics of the beans to be selected by the sorting machine. The light fro-m source 160 passes through the window 159 in the plate 158 and is reflected back through the window. The photoelectric cell casing is provided with an opening 196 through which the reflected light beam passes to impinge upon the photoelectric cell. If a beam is of the desired color, it passes by the scanning device without changing the amount of light reflected back through the color discriminating filter system to the photoelectric tube, as a consequence of which the scanning mechanism does not respond and the bean, designated 204, passes the kick plate 156 and is swept from the rim of the drum and into the discharge tube 174 by the arm 170. If, however, a bean is off color, it changes the amount of light reflected back through the filter system to the photoelectric cell sufficiently to affect the scanning device, in consequence of which the electromagnets 152 are suitably energized to operate the arm 154 and thereby move the kick plate 156 across the path of the bean (see FIGURE 4). The kick plate 156 pushes the bean, designated 206, from the rim of the drum 58 into the discharge tube 172, and then immediately returns to its initial position.

It is desirable to present'onlyv one bean at a time to the scanning device. The depression at the end of a suction opening 74 desirably is large enough to accommodate one large bean only. However, sometimes two smaller beans are held in the depression. In order to dislodge one of the beans so that only one bean at a time will be presented to the scanning device, the deflector plates and 151 are positioned as shown so that upon coming into contact with the deflector plate 150 one bean will be pushed laterally thereby and will, in turn, displace the second bean from the mouth of the suction orifice. Just before a bean passes by the scanning mechanism, it is deflected by deflector plate 148, being moved thereby toward the side of the drum upon which the discharge tubes 172 and 174 are located, the movement being sufficient to partially unseat the bean and thereby partially reduce the influence of the suction. As the bean passes 75 by thedeflector plate, it is held thereagainst by suction and.

kept from bouncing about and possibly being positioned for passing the kick plate 156 without touching it. Before the bean can return to the center of the depression, it is dislodged from the drum either by the sweep arm 170 or the kick plate 156. It will be obvious that due to deflection of the bean by plate 148 before the bean reaches kick plate 156, the movement required of plate 156 to dislodge the bean is reduced to a minimum, in consequence of which the plate 156 may operate more rapidly and the sorting speed may be increased. In this connection, it will be understood that the rate at which the drum 58 rotates and the spacing of the suction orifices 74 about the drum 58 are such that the kick plate 156 may operate once for each off-color bean, i.e., after the kick plate 156 operates to dislodge an ofi-color bean it withdraws from the path of the beans immediately, without dislodging good beans along with an off-color bean.

It should be noted that small whole beans, half beans and broken parts of beansof any substantial size are kept from being sucked into the interior 70 of the drum 58 by the spiders in the suction orifices 74. In addition, the soft cushioning properties of the receptacle 100 make it possible to recirculate beans without any substantial breakage of whole beans into half beans or smaller parts, and recirculated beans are returned to the main stream of beans under the influence of gravity. Only one bean at a time is presented to the scanning mechanism, and a bean is partially dislodged from its fully seated position at the outer end of an orifice 74, thereby to reduce the influence of the suction thereon, before it is scanned and removed from the drum 58.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention, as shown and described, is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made without any departure from the general principles or real spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended to claim the present invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination comprising a member revolvable about a horizontally extending principal axis and provided with a series of circumferentially spaced suction orifices, means for actuating said revolvable member, gravity feed means for spilling beans onto the top of said revolvable member, means inducing suction at said orifices for holding beans spilled as aforesaid to said revolvable member for being carried thereby about, and back to the top of, said revolvable member, means at the top of said revolvable member for sensing beans carried in the manner aforesaid and not of a predetermined color, means responsive to said sensing means for sorting sensed beans from beans of said predetermined color, and recirculating means including means for gathering the beans that are not sucked to and held by said revolvable member but instead fall by gravity free of said revolvable member, and for delivering the same to said feed means for recirculation thereof.

2. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination comprising a hollow drum revolvable about a horizontally extending principal axis and provided with a rim having a series of circumferentially spaced suction orifices, means for actuating said drum, gravity feed means for spilling beans onto the rim of said drum at the top thereof, means communicating with the interior of said drum and inducing suction at said orifices for holding beans to the rim of said drum for being carried thereby about, and back to the top of, said drum, means at the top of said drum for sensing beans carried in the manner aforesaid and not of a predetermined color, means responsive to said sensing means for sorting sensed beans from beans of said predetermined color, and recirculating means including a conduit communicating by one end with the outlet of said suction inducing means and communicating by the opposite end with the interior of said 6, feed means, and means for gathering the beans that are not sucked to and held by said rim but instead fall by gravity free of said drum, and for delivering the same to said conduit for being conveyed to said feed means for recirculation thereof.

3. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination comprising a hollow drum revolvable about a horizontally extending principal axis and provided with a rim having a series of circumferentially spaced suction orifices, means for actuating said drum, gravity feed means for spilling beans onto the rim of said drum at the top thereof, means communicating with the interior of said drum and inducing suction at said orifices for holding beans to the rim of said drum for being carried thereby about, and back to the top of, said drum, means at the top of said drum for sensing beans carried in the manner aforesaid and not of a predetermined color, means responsive to said sensing means for sorting sensed beans from beans of said predetermined color, and recirculating means including a conduit communicating by one end with the outlet of said suction inducing means and communicating by the opposite end with the interior of said feed means, a venturi section connected in said conduit, and means for gathering the beans that are not sucked to and held by said rim but instead fall by gravity free of said drum, and for delivering the same to said venturi section for being conveyed through said conduit to said feed means for recirculation thereof.

4. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination comprising a member revolvable about a horizontally extending principal axis and provided with a series of circumferentially spaced suction orifices, means for actuating said revolvable member, gravity feed means for spilling beans onto the top of said revolvable member, means inducing suction at said orifices for holding beans spilled as aforesaid to said revolvable member for being carried thereby about, and back to the top of, said revolvable member, means at the top of said revolvable member for sensing beans carried in the manner aforesaid and not of a predetermnied color, means responsive to said sensing means for sorting sensed beans from beans of said predetermined color, recirculating means including means for gathering the beans that are not sucked to and held by said revolvable member but instead fall by gravity free of said revolvable member, and for delivering the same to said feed means for recirculation thereof, and receptacle means operatively interposed between said recirculating and feed means for receiving the discharge from said recirculating means and directing the same into said feed means.

5. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination comprising a member revolvable about a horizontally extending principal axis and provided with a series of circumferentially spaced radially disposed suction orifices, means for actuating said revolvable member, gravity feed means for spilling beans onto the top of said revolvable member from a sloping surface on one side thereof, means inducing suction at said orifices for holding beans to said revolvable member for being carried thereby about, and back to the top of, said revolvable member, means for deflecting the beans carried by said revolvable member to assure seating of one bean only over each suction orifice, means at the top of said revolvable member for beans carried in the manner aforesaid and not of a predetermined color, means responsive to said sensing means for moving across the path of off-color beans to dislodge the same from said revolvable member, and means for deflecting the beans carried by said revolvable member to partially unseat the beans by moving them in the direction of discharge from said revolvable member thereby to reduce the influence of said suction to facilitate dislodgment of the beans from said revolvable member.

6. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination comprising a member revolvable about a horizontally extending principal axis and provided with a series of circumferentially spaced radially disposed suction orifices, cross members in each of said orifices providing a cup-shaped depression for receiving beans, means for actuating said revolvable member, gravity feed means for spilling beans onto the top of said revolvable member from a sloping surface on one side thereof, means inducing suction at said orifices for holding beans to said revolvable member for being carried thereby about, and back to the top of, said revolvable member, means at the top of said revolvable member for sensing beans carried in the manner aforesaid and not of a predetermined color, and means responsive to said sensing means for sorting sensed beans from beans of a predetermined color.

7. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination of a rotary conveyor provided with a series of suction orifices, light sensitive sorting means operatively associated with said conveyor and operable for classifying articles thereon, feed means operatively associated with said conveyor for presenting articles thereto in a substantially continuous stream traveling in an arc coaxial to the center of said rotary conveyor and over a substantial length along the perimeter of said conveyor, and recirculating means including means for gathering beans that are not held by said rotary conveyor and for delivering the same to said feed means for recirculation thereof.

8. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination of a rotary conveyor provided with a series of suction orifices, light sensitive sorting means operatively associated with said conveyor and operable for classifying articles thereon, feed means operatively associated with said conveyor for presenting articles thereto in a substantially continuous stream moving at approximately the surface speed of said conveyor along the surface on one side of said conveyor, and recirculating means including means for gathering beans that are not held by said 8. rotary conveyor and for delivering the same to said feed means for recirculation thereof.

9. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination of a rotary conveyor provided with a series of suction orifices, light sensitive sensing means, sorting means, said sensing and sorting means being oonjointly operative for classifying articles carried thereto by said conveyor, means coacting with said conveyor for providing a passage for said beans, said passage being progressively restricted in the direction of movement of said beans, gravity feed means for spilling Fbeans directly onto said rotary conveyor for movement freely through said passage, and recirculating means including means for gathering beans that are not held by said rotary conveyor and for delivering the same to said feed means for recirculation thereof.

10. In a sorting machine for beans and the like, the combination of a rotary conveyor provided with a series of suction orifices, light sensitive sensing means, sorting means, said sensing and sorting means being conjointly operative for classifying articles carried thereto by said conveyor, means coacting with said conveyor and providing a passage for said beans, said passage being progressively restricted in the direction of movement of said beans, and gravity feed means for spilling beans directly onto said rotary conveyor for movement "freely through said passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,152,758 Cox Apr. 4, 1939 2,325,665 Cox Aug. 3, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 468,815 Great Britain July 13, 1937 

